Traffic system for enhancing driver visibility

ABSTRACT

Embodiments described herein comprise a system and method for improving visibility of a roadway using an improved visibility system. The method comprising receiving data from a plurality of fog detectors located proximate a roadway and determining, based on the data from the plurality of fog detectors, that fog is present about the roadway. The method further comprising obtaining, after the determining that fog is present about the roadway, a plurality of images of the roadway by activating a plurality of cameras located proximate the roadway. The method further comprising creating a composite image by combining two or more of the plurality of images, wherein the composite image depicts the roadway unobstructed by fog and transmitting the composite image to a display device located in a vehicle traveling along the roadway.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments of the inventive subject matter generally relate to thefield of improved navigation, and, more particularly, to a system forimproving visibility in the presence of fog.

Modern cars are equipped with lights to assist the driver's vision whiledriving on a roadway. Typically a car will include headlights, taillights and reverse lights that enable the driver to see further in thedark than they would be able to see and be seen without the lights. Whena driver is driving in fog, it is often difficult to see more than a fewfeet in front of the car even with the assistance of the headlights.Some cars are also equipped with fog lights. Fog lights are adapted toincrease the driver's vision slightly beyond what the typical headlightenables the driver to see past in the fog. Even with the fog lights,however, the driver's vision in fog is typically limited to a few feetin front of the car.

SUMMARY

Embodiments described herein comprise methods, systems, and computerprogram products for improving visibility of a roadway using an improvedvisibility system. A method comprising receiving data from a pluralityof fog detectors located proximate a roadway and determining, based onthe data from the plurality of fog detectors, that fog is present aboutthe roadway. The method further comprising obtaining, after thedetermining that fog is present about the roadway, a plurality of imagesof the roadway by activating a plurality of cameras located proximatethe roadway. The method further comprising creating a composite image bycombining two or more of the plurality of images, wherein the compositeimage depicts the roadway unobstructed by fog and transmitting thecomposite image to a display device located in a vehicle traveling alongthe roadway.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present embodiments may be better understood, and numerous objects,features, and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art byreferencing the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram illustrating an improved visibilitysystem configured to activate a plurality of cameras, combine the imagesfrom the plurality of cameras and display the combined image to a driverin an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 depicts an increased visibility unit in an embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 3 depicts a schematic diagram of a transit system in an embodimentof the invention.

FIG. 4A depicts a schematic diagram of a view of a roadway in anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4B depicts a schematic diagram of a view of a roadway in anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 depicts a schematic of a roadway in an embodiment of theinvention.

FIGS. 6A-6D show how a composite image is formed, according to someembodiments.

FIG. 7 depicts a flowchart illustrating operations of the improvedvision system in an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 depicts schematic diagram of a computer system in an embodimentof the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S)

The description that follows includes exemplary systems, methods,techniques, instruction sequences and computer program products thatembody techniques of the present inventive subject matter. However, itis understood that the described embodiments may be practiced withoutthese specific details. For instance, although examples refer toimproving a driver's visibility in fog, it should be understood that themethods described herein may be used for improving an operator'sunderstanding of the route ahead in any condition, for example, atnight, in a dust storm, rain storm, blizzard, and the like. In otherinstances, well-known instruction instances, protocols, structures andtechniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obfuscate thedescription.

Embodiments described herein comprise a system and method for improvingvisibility of a roadway using an improved visibility system. Theimproved visibility system allows the presence of fog to be detectedalong a roadway. The improved visibility system may then activate aplurality of cameras along the roadway where the fog is present. Thecameras are used to take a plurality of images of the roadway where thefog is present. The plurality of images may be combined in order toprovide a view of the roadway. The view of the roadway may then be sentto one or more vehicles traveling along the roadway. The view may bedisplayed within each of the vehicles in order to increase the driver'sunderstanding of the roadway ahead. The improved visibility system mayupdate the image the driver views as the vehicle travels along differentportions of the roadway.

In one embodiment, the improved visibility system detects the presenceof fog along the roadway. Due to the presence of the fog, a plurality ofcameras are activated. The plurality of cameras obtains a plurality ofimages of the roadway. A view of the roadway is constructed by combiningone or more of the images. If a vehicle is travelling along the roadway,the view is sent to a display within the vehicle. A travel speed of thevehicle may then be determined. The view of the roadway may be updatedand sent to the vehicle based on the travel speed of the vehicle.

Embodiments may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, anentirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software,micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardwareaspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,”“module,” or “system.” Furthermore, embodiments of the inventive subjectmatter may take the form of a computer program product embodied in anytangible medium of expression having computer usable program codeembodied in the medium. The described embodiments may be provided as acomputer program product, or software, that may include amachine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which may beused to program a computer system (or other electronic device(s)) toperform a process according to embodiments, whether presently describedor not, since every conceivable variation is not enumerated herein. Amachine readable medium includes any mechanism for storing ortransmitting information in a form (e.g., software, processingapplication) readable by a machine (e.g., a computer). Themachine-readable medium may include, but is not limited to, magneticstorage medium (e.g., floppy diskette); optical storage medium (e.g.,CD-ROM); magneto-optical storage medium; read only memory (ROM); randomaccess memory (RAM); erasable programmable memory (e.g., EPROM andEEPROM); flash memory; or other types of medium suitable for storingelectronic instructions. In addition, embodiments may be embodied in anelectrical, optical, acoustical or other form of propagated signal(e.g., carrier waves, infrared signals, digital signals, etc.), orwireline, wireless, or other communications medium.

Computer program code for carrying out operations of the embodiments maybe written in any combination of one or more programming languages,including an object oriented programming language such as Java,Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programminglanguages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programminglanguages. The program code may execute entirely on any one component orit may execute on a plurality of components. In the latter scenario,remote components may be connected through any type of network,including a local area network (LAN), a personal area network (PAN), ora wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an externalcomputer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet ServiceProvider). It should be appreciated that the remote components or anyelement of the network may be connected to another component of thenetwork via hard line, wireless or radio frequency.

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of an increased visibility system 100configured to activate a plurality of cameras, combine the images fromthe plurality of cameras and display the combined image to a driver inan embodiment of the invention. As shown, the increased visibilitysystem 100 may include a server 102, a communication network 104, aplurality of camera units 106A-N, and one or more vehicles 108A-N(clients). The server 102 may include an increased visibility unit 110,a control unit 112, and a transceiver unit 114. The transceiver unit 114allows the server to send and receive data and/or communication. Thecommunication network 104 allows for communication between the server102, the plurality of camera units 106A-N and the one or more vehicles108A-N. The control unit 112 manages the data sent to and from theplurality of camera units 106A-N and/or the one or more vehicles 108A-N.The camera units 106A-N may include any combination of a camera 118and/or a fog detector 120. In some embodiments, the fog detector 120 caninclude a laser or other optical device.

The increased visibility unit 110 may be configured to determine, basedon input from the fog detectors 120, the presence of fog. When fog ispresent, the increased visibility unit 110 may activate any number ofthe cameras 118 located in the camera units 106A-N. The increasedvisibility unit 110 may then direct the one or more of the cameras 118to obtain images of the roadway where the fog is present. The increasedvisibility unit 110 may then combine the images from the one or morecameras 118 into a view of the roadway. The increased visibility unit110 may further determine the presence of one or more vehicles 108A-Nnear the locations on the roadway where the fog is present. Theincreased visibility unit 110 may then send data representing the viewof the roadway to devices within the one or more vehicles 108A-N. Theincreased visibility unit 110 may update the view as the vehicle 108moves along the roadway. Although, the increased visibility unit 110 isdescribed as being included in the server 102, any portion of it may beincluded in any other component, such as the camera units 106A-N, any ofthe vehicles 108A-N, etc.

The one or more camera units 106A-N may be prepositioned along a roadwayand positioned to obtain images of the roadway. The camera units 106A-Nmay include any camera 118 or combination of cameras 118 capable ofobtaining images of the roadway including, but not limited to a digitalcamera, a video camera, a analogue camera, a movie camera, a pinholecamera, a rangefinder camera, a single-lens reflex camera, a twin lensreflex camera, a view camera and the like. For example, the cameras 118may be configured to take still pictures or images, or may be configuredto take video images of the roadway.

The vehicles 108A-N are shown in the figures as automobiles; however,the vehicles 108A-N may be any combination of vehicles suitable fortraveling along the roadway and/or route. For example, the vehicle maybe a car, a truck, a semi-tractor trailer, a big rig, a bus, amotorcycle, a scooter, a golf cart, a club car, a go-cart, an ATV, an RVand the like. Further, it should be understood that the increasedvisibility system 100 may be used in any transit system. For example,the vehicle 108 may be a boat, a watercraft, a skier/snowboarder, andthe like, while the route may be a canal, a waterway, an inter-coastalwaterway, a bayou, a river, a swamp, a ski trail, and the like.

FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of the increased visibility unit 110 inan embodiment of the invention. The increased visibility unit 110 mayinclude a storage device 200, a fog detection unit 202, an activationunit 204, a roadway imaging unit 206, and a transceiver unit 208. Thestorage device 200 may store any suitable data, and/or information,relating to the increased visibility system 100 including, but notlimited to the roadway conditions, the fog density, historical dataabout the roadway conditions, camera information, images of the roadway,combined images of the roadway and the like.

The fog detection unit 202 may be configured to detect the presence offog, and/or an adverse roadway condition, on and/or near a roadway in anembodiment of the invention. In some embodiments, the fog detection unit202 is not part of the increased visibility unit 110. The fog detectionunit 202 may further detect the density of the fog. The fog detectionunit 202 may use any number of systems and/or methods for obtaining dataregarding the fog conditions at a location as will be discussed in moredetail below.

The activation unit 204 may be configured to activate any number of theone or more cameras 118 when fog, and/or a driver, is present on theroadway. The activation unit 204 may receive fog data from the fogdetection unit 202, and/or one or more fog detectors 120 located nearthe roadway. Based on the fog data, the activation unit 204 may activateany number of the cameras 118 in order to obtain images of the roadway.When the fog lifts or leaves the area near the roadway, the activationunit 204 may shut down the one or more cameras 118 in order to savepower.

The roadway imaging unit 206 may be configured to construct one or moreviews of the roadway. The one or more views of the roadway allow adriver to see what is beyond their line of vision in the fog, as will bedescribed in more detail below. The roadway imaging unit 206 constructsthe one or more views of the roadway from the images of the roadwayobtained from the one or more cameras 118. The roadway imaging unit 206may combine multiple images obtained from the cameras 118 in order toconstruct the view of the roadway. In one embodiment, the roadwayimaging unit 206 may construct multiple views of the roadway in order toallow a driver to improve visibility at multiple locations along theroadway.

The transceiver unit 208 is configured to send and receive data to andfrom the increased visibility unit 110. For example, the transceiverunit 208 may receive images from the one or more cameras 118. Thetransceiver unit 208 may receive data from the fog detectors 120. Thetransceiver unit 208 may send instructions to the one or more cameraunits 106A-N, and views of the roadway to one or more vehicles 108A-N.The transceiver unit 208 may be any unit capable of sending andreceiving data.

FIG. 3 depicts a transit system 300, in an embodiment of the invention.The transit system 300 includes a roadway 302, one or more vehicles108A-N traveling along the roadway 302 and one or more camera units106A-N located proximate the roadway 302. One or more of the vehicles108A-N may include a display device 304 located within the vehicle108A-N. The vehicles 108A-N may be any suitable vehicle, including anyof the vehicles described herein.

The roadway 302 is shown as a two lane highway. However, the roadway 302may be any suitable route on a transit system including, but not limitedto, a freeway, a street, a boulevard, a route, a lane, a railway, acanal, a path, a trail, a cart-path, a racetrack, etc.

The display device 304 may be any device capable of allowing the driverof the vehicles 108A-N to see the view of the roadway 302 sent by theincreased visibility unit 110. The display device 304 may be a screenlocated on or near a dashboard one or more of the vehicles 108A-N. Thescreen may be any screen capable of displaying the view to the driver,including but not limited to, a liquid crystal display LCD, a plasmascreen, a projected image, a cathode ray screen, a flat panel display, avacuum fluorescent display, a light emitting diode display, a plasmadisplay panel, a thin film transistor, an organic light emitting diode,a surface-conduction electron emitter display, a laser TV, and the like.The display device 304 may be an integral part of the vehicle 108, in anembodiment of the invention. Further, it should be appreciated that thedisplay device 304 may be a separate component that the driver mayattach and/or bring to the vehicle 108. Further, the display device 304may be incorporated into any suitable handheld device including, but notlimited to, a cell phone, an MP3 Player, a personal digital assistant, aGPS, and the like. Further still, the display device 304 may be locatedoutside the vehicles on a screen or screens along the roadway. Forexample, there may be several screens located along the roadway thatdrivers could see as they travel along the roadway.

The camera units 106A-N, as shown, are equally spaced along the roadway302; however, it should be appreciated that the spacing of the cameraunits 106A-N may depend on any number of variables. For example, thecamera units' spacing may vary based on obstructions along the roadway302. Further, the spacing may be closer along portions of the roadway302 where there is a high frequency of fog and spaced further apartwhere there is a lower frequency of fog. The distance between the cameraunits 106A-N may be any suitable distance that allows the cameras 118and/or the fog detectors 120 to obtain images and/or detect fog. Thecamera units 106A-N are shown to include both the camera 118 and the fogdetector 120, however, it should be appreciated that the camera 118 andthe fog detectors 120 may be separate.

The increased visibility system 100 can increase a driver's ability tosee a roadway in fog. As shown in FIG. 4A, when fog or anotherobstruction (e.g., snow) is present, a driver may only see ahead to awall of visibility 402. The wall of visibility 402 represents fog orother obstruction that prevents drivers from seeing beyond theobstruction. In FIG. 4B, a driver at location A may only be able to seeto the wall of visibility at location B. The locations beyond locationB, such as locations C-E, are beyond the drivers view. When the drivermoves to location C, the driver may only be able to see up to the wallof visibility, which may now be located at location D. In snow, thedistance beyond the wall of visibility simply appears to be a white massahead of the driver. It should be appreciated that the increasedvisibility system 100 may be suitable for increasing a driver's abilityto see in the presence of any type of obstruction including, but notlimited to, rain, snow, freezing rain, sleet, hail, dust storms,darkness, etc.

FIG. 4B shows schematic of a roadway with camera positions at locationsA, B, C, D, and E. In the view shown, camera units at location A andlocation C are activated and obtaining images of the roadway 302. Thecamera at location A obtains an image of the roadway 302 up to locationB. When fog is present, the roadway beyond location B may not be visiblefrom location A. The camera at location C obtains an image of theroadway 302 up to the wall of visibility at location D. With onlycameras at locations A and C activated, the view of the entire roadwaymay not be obtained due to the location of the wall of visibility 402.Thus, to view the entire roadway 302, all of the cameras in this sectionof roadway 302 may be activated.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic of a roadway-on which all cameras have beenactivated to obtain images of the roadway. With each of the cameras106A-F obtaining images of the roadway 302, the system can obtain imagesof the entire roadway 302 (i.e., the roadway from location A to locationF), as represented by the shaded portion of the roadway 302. Theincreased visibility system can process the obtained images to form acomposite image. The composite image can include elements from aplurality of images, and therefore can present a roadway view spanningfrom location A to location F.

To create a composite image showing a portion of the roadway, such asthe roadway portion spanning from location A to location C, the systemcan shrink and combine images. FIGS. 6A-D help illustrate this concept.FIG. 6A shows a first image captured by a first camera, such as thecamera posited at location A (FIG. 5). FIG. 6B shows a second imagecaptured by a second camera, such as the camera positioned at location B(FIG. 5). The increased visibility unit 110 can create a composite imageby shrinking the second image and combining the shrunken second imagewith the first image. FIG. 6C shows how the increased visibility unit110 can shrink the second image, while FIG. 6D shows a composite image602 made by combining the first image (i.e., the image in FIG. 6A) withthe shrunken second image (i.e., the image FIG. 6C). In FIG. 6D, theshrunken second image overlays the first image so the roadway betweenlocations A & C appears unobstructed by fog. The increased visibilitysystem can create an unobstructed view of the entire roadway byrepeating this process for all the images from the active cameras.

FIG. 7 depicts a flow diagram 700 illustrating the operations of theincreased visibility system 100, according to some embodiments of theinvention. The flow begins at block 702, where a presence of fog isdetected on a roadway. In some embodiments, the fog detectors 120 detectthe presences of the fog near the roadway 302. The fog detectors 120 mayalso detect the density of the fog near the roadway 302. The datacollected from the fog detectors 120 is sent to the fog detection unit202. The fog detection unit 202 may determine the presence of fog, basedon the data collected from the fog detectors 120. Further, the fogdetection unit 202 may determine the density of the fog.

In one example, the fog detectors 120 include a light source emittedfrom a first location to a light collector located at a second location.In this example, the light source may be located at the first location,which may be at the camera unit 106A, and light collector may be locatedat the second location, which may be another camera unit 106B. The lightsource may send light signals or light waves to the light collector. Ifa decrease in the intensity of the light occurs, there is an obstructionbetween the light source and the light collector. The fog detector 120may send data regarding the decrease in intensity to the fog detectionunit 202. The fog detection unit 202 may then determine the density ofthe obstruction (e.g., fog) between the camera units 106A and 106B. Thistype of fog detection system may be included in all of the camera units106A-N thereby giving the increased visibility system 100 a measure ofthe fog presence and density at each location along the roadway 302.Although the fog detector 120 is described as a light source and a lightcollector, it should be appreciated that the fog detector may be anysuitable fog detection apparatus or system.

In yet another example, the fog detector 120 is located on the vehicle108. Thus, the fog detector 120 located on the vehicle 108 may detectthe presence of fog and wirelessly send the fog data to the fogdetection unit 202. The fog detector 120 in this example may be anysuitable fog detector described herein.

In yet another example, the increased visibility unit 110 may store thefog presence and density information for particular portions of theroadway 302. For example, the fog detection unit 202 may collect andstore data for a fog prone portion of the roadway 302 to create ahistorical fog data. The increased visibility unit 110 may then use thehistorical fog data to predict when fog, or other roadway obstructionsare most likely to be present. For example, the increased visibilityunit 110 may determine that a first portion of the roadway is typicallyfoggy in between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m. based on the historical fog data. Theincreased visibility unit 110 may use this information to increase thefrequency of the fog tests during peak fog hours. The increasedvisibility unit 110 may further, use this information to decrease thefrequency of the fog test during non-peak fog hours.

In yet another example, the increased visibility unit 110 does notdetect the presence of fog. In this example, the cameras 118 maycontinuously obtain images of the roadway 302 regardless of the presenceof fog or any other obstruction. The views of the roadway maycontinuously be sent to the displays 304. Further, the driver of thevehicle 108 may initiate when the view is sent to the display 304 byrequesting the display 304 receive the view of the roadway 302. Thedriver may request that the display 304 receive the view of the roadwayby any suitable method including, but not limited to, turning thedisplay on, pressing a button, flipping a switch, voice activatedcommand and the like.

The flow continues at block 704, where one or more cameras 118 areactivated proximate the roadway 302. The one or more cameras 118 may beactivated in response to detected fog. The activation unit 204 mayactivate any number of the cameras 118 located proximate the roadway302. The cameras 118 may be any combination of cameras described herein.

In one example, all of the cameras 118 along a portion of the roadwaywill be activated in response to the fog data. Thus, when fog isdetected by the fog detectors 120 proximate the roadway 302, theactivation unit 204 activates all of the cameras 118 proximate theroadway 302. All of the cameras 118 may be necessary in very dense fog,where it is necessary to take an image of the roadway 302 at very closeintervals.

In yet another example, the activation unit 204 may only activate aportion of the cameras 118 along the roadway. For example, the fogdetector 120 may detect the presence of fog proximate the roadway 302;however, the fog may not be very dense. In this example, only a portionof the cameras 118, for example every other camera, may be necessary toobtain the view of the roadway 302.

In yet another example, the activation unit 204 may activate the cameras118 based on the historical fog data for a particular portion of theroadway 302. Thus, the activation unit 204 may automatically activatethe cameras 118 at times when it is most probable that fog may beobstructing the view of drivers along the roadway 302. For example, theactivation unit 204 may automatically activate the cameras 118 betweenthe hours of 4 a.m and 9 a.m. in the winter in a particular location.

In yet another example, the activation unit 204 may activate the cameras118 based on the presence of a vehicle 108 proximate the roadway 302.Thus, the cameras 118 may activate when a vehicle 108 is approaching theroadway 302.

In yet another example, the activation unit 204 may be optional and thecameras 118 may be on all the time. Thus, the cameras 118 maycontinuously film the roadway 302.

Any of the examples for activating the cameras 118 along the roadway 302may be used in combination with other methods of activating the cameras118 or as alternative methods of activating the cameras 118.

The cameras 118 may be deactivated when any of the activation basis arenot present. For example, the cameras 118 deactivation basis may includeany suitable deactivation basis including, but not limited to, the foglifting, the vehicle is not present, when the historical fog data showsthat the fog should lift, and any combination thereof, and the like.

The flow continues at block 706, where a plurality of images of theroadway is obtained from the plurality of cameras 118. The activatedcameras 118 may take still picture images and/or video images of theroadway 302. Each of the cameras 118 located on the camera units 106A-Nmay be positioned to obtain an image of a particular portion of theroadway 302. Thus, the camera 118 located at camera unit 106A may obtainan image of the roadway 302 located in a portion of the roadway in frontof the camera unit 106A and possibly to a location beyond the cameraunit 106B. In yet another example, the camera 118 may only obtain animage of the roadway 302 up to the point proximate the location wherethe camera 118 located on the camera unit 106B is located. Each of thecameras 118 of the camera units 106A-N may take pictures of any portionof the roadway so long as images of a substantial portion of the roadwaymay be obtained by the plurality of cameras 118. The images of theroadway 302 may be obtained continuously by the cameras 118.

Each of the cameras 118 may be configured to obtain an image of theroadway 302 that is within the distance of the wall of visibility. Thus,if the wall of visibility is typically at a location 110 meters ahead ofa driver, the cameras may be configured to obtain the image up to alocation, or less than the distance, of the wall of visibility. Thecameras 118 may be preset to obtain images within a typical distance ofthe wall of visibility, based on the historical fog data in one example.Thus, the cameras 118 would always obtain images within the wall ofvisibility.

In yet another example, the cameras 118 may adjust to obtain images at ashorter or longer distance depending on the location of the wall ofvisibility. In this example, the fog detection unit 202 may determinethe probable location of the wall of visibility based on the fog datareceived from the fog detectors 120. The increased visibility unit 110may then adjust the distance the cameras 118 to obtain the images basedon the wall of visibility.

In yet another example, the fog density may be low and therefore thewall of visibility may extend a distance beyond two camera units 106. Inthis example, the activation unit 204 may only need to activate selectcameras 118 in order obtain the necessary images of the roadway 302within the wall of visibility.

In yet another embodiment, the images of the roadway are obtainedintermittently. Thus, the each of the cameras 118 may obtain an image ofthe roadway 302 at timed intervals. The time intervals may be based onthe rate of speed of the drivers on the roadway 302.

The flow continues at block 708, where a view of the roadway 302 isconstructed by combining two or more images from the plurality ofcameras 118. The view may be constructed as a perspective view. Theperspective view may be a view of the roadway 302 substantially from adriver's perspective. The perspective view of the roadway 302 may beconstructed by combining the multiple images obtained by the cameras118. The first image from the closest camera 118 to the vehicle 108would be sized the largest. The second image from the second camera 118from the vehicle 108 would be sized smaller than the first image fromthe first camera. These images may be combined with the smaller secondimage located in the center of, or within, the first image in order topresent a combined perspective view of the roadway 302. Thus, the firstimage shows the portion of the roadway 302 closest to the driver and thesecond image shows the next portion of roadway 302, which may beobstructed by the wall of visibility. These images are combined so thatthe displayed view shows the first portion of the roadway 302 and aresized second portion of the roadway 302 as one continuous roadway froma perspective view of the roadway 302. Thus, the combined image appearsas if the first portion is closest and the second portion is the beyondthe first portion as it would appear if you were looking out a windowand no fog, or obstruction was present. Although only two images aredescribed as being combined, it should be appreciated that theperspective view may combine any number of images from the cameras 118in order to create the view of the roadway 302. The perspective view ofthe roadway 302 may be constructed from the point of view of the driver,or any other location. Further, the perspective view may constructedstarting at the camera 118 closest to the driver or at any other of thecameras 118 along the roadway 302.

In another example, the constructed view may be the view of the firstimage past the wall of visibility. For example, the driver may be ableto see the roadway 302 up to the wall of visibility. The display 304 mayshow the image taken from the next portion of the roadway 302 past thewall of visibility. Thus, the driver would be able to look at thedisplay 304 to see the next portion of the roadway past the wall ofvisibility. Further, there may be more than one single view of roadway302 wherein each view shows each of the next portions of the roadway 302to the driver.

The flow continues at block 710, where it is determined if a vehicle 108is on the roadway 302. The increased visibility system 100 may determinethe presence of a vehicle 108 by receiving a signal from an approachingvehicle 108. For example, a transceiver, not shown, associated with thedisplay 304 may send out a data signal indicating the presence of thevehicle 108 and the capability of the vehicle 108 to receive the view.Although it is described as the display 304 sending the signal to theincreased visibility system 100, it should be appreciated that anyportion of the vehicle 108 may be configured to send the signalindicating the vehicles 108 approach.

The increased visibility unit 110 may be able to determine the locationof the vehicle 108 from the signal sent. The location may be determinedby GPS in one example. In another example, the location may bedetermined by triangulating the vehicles' 108 position between two ormore of the camera units 106. Further, it should be appreciated that anysuitable method for determining the location of the vehicles 108 may beused.

In another example, the increased visibility system 100 may notdetermine the presence, and/or location, of the vehicles 108. In thisexample, the increased visibility unit 110 may constantly send theconstructed views of the roadway 302 out. The views may be received bythe vehicles 108 as they pass the portion of the roadway 302 with thecameras 118. For example, several locations on the roadway 302, and/orthe camera units 106A-N may send the constructed views to the vehicles108 as they pass the location, and/or camera unit 106, therebyalleviating the need to determine the location of the vehicles 108.

If it is determined that no vehicles 108A-N are on the roadway 302, theflow ends. If it is determined that one or more vehicles 108A-N are onthe roadway 302, the flow continues at block 412, where the constructedview is sent to the display 304 in the vehicle 108. The constructed viewis then displayed on the display 304. With the constructed view on thedisplay 304 the driver may be able to see the roadway 302 beyond thewall of visibility.

In another example, more than one view, image and/or constructed viewmay be sent to the vehicle 108. These views, images and constructedviews may be displayed simultaneously on one display 304, or displayedon separate displays 304.

The flow continues at block 714, where the constructed view of theroadway 302 is updated as the vehicle 108 travels along the roadway 302.The constructed view of the roadway 302 may be updated as the vehicle108 travels along the roadway 302 in order to constantly give the driverof the vehicle 108 a displayed view of the roadway 302 which is ahead ofthe vehicle 108. Thus, as the vehicle 108A passes a camera unit 106A theconstructed view shown on the display 304 may include the roadway aheadof the camera unit 106A. When the vehicle 108 approaches and/or passesthe next camera unit 106B the constructed view sent to the display 304will be updated. The updated constructed view will show only the roadway302 past the next camera unit 304B and beyond. This may be repeated pasteach of the camera units 106A-N. Thus, the constructed view shown on thedisplay 304 may always show the roadway 302 in front of the vehicle 108.The view may be updated on a constant basis. Further, the view may beupdated on an intermittent basis. The display 304 may be updated untilthe vehicle 108 exits the portion of the roadway 302 with fog. After theconstructed view is updated to the vehicle 108 the flow ends at block416.

FIG. 8 depicts an example computer system. A computer system includes aprocessor unit 802 (possibly including multiple processors, multiplecores, multiple nodes, and/or implementing multi-threading, etc.). Thecomputer system includes memory 830. The memory 830 may be system memory(e.g., one or more of cache, SRAM, DRAM, zero capacitor RAM, TwinTransistor RAM, eDRAM, EDO RAM, DDR RAM, EEPROM, NRAM, RRAM, SONOS,PRAM, etc.) or any one or more of the above already described possiblerealizations of machine-readable media. The computer system alsoincludes a bus 824 (e.g., PCI, ISA, PCI-Express, HyperTransport®,InfiniBand®, NuBus, etc.), a network interface 820 (e.g., an ATMinterface, an Ethernet interface, a Frame Relay interface, SONETinterface, wireless interface, etc.), and a storage device(s) 830 (e.g.,optical storage, magnetic storage, etc.). The system memory 930 embodiesfunctionality to implement embodiments described above. The systemmemory 830 may include one or more functionalities that facilitatedetecting the presence of fog, obtaining a plurality of images of theroadway, constructing a view of the roadway by combining the pluralityof images, and sending the constructed view to a display in the vehicle108. To this end the memory 830 may include the fog detection unit 202,the activation unit 204, and the roadway imaging unit 206. Any one ofthese functionalities may be partially (or entirely) implemented inhardware and/or on the processing unit 802. For example, thefunctionality may be implemented with an application specific integratedcircuit, in logic implemented in the processing unit 802, in aco-processor on a peripheral device or card, etc. Further, realizationsmay include fewer or additional components not illustrated in FIG. 8(e.g., video cards, audio cards, additional network interfaces,peripheral devices, etc.). The processor unit 802, the storage device(s)830, and the network interface 820 are coupled to the bus 824. Althoughillustrated as being coupled to the bus 824, the memory 830 may becoupled to the processor unit 802.

While the embodiments are described with reference to variousimplementations and exploitations, it will be understood that theseembodiments are illustrative and that the scope of the inventive subjectmatter is not limited to them. In general, techniques for detecting thepresence of fog, obtaining a plurality of images of the roadway,constructing a view of the roadway by combining the plurality of images,and sending the constructed view to a display 304 in the vehicle 108 asdescribed herein may be implemented with facilities consistent with anyhardware system or hardware systems. Many variations, modifications,additions, and improvements are possible.

Plural instances may be provided for components, operations orstructures described herein as a single instance. Finally, boundariesbetween various components, operations and data stores are somewhatarbitrary, and particular operations are illustrated in the context ofspecific illustrative configurations. Other allocations of functionalityare envisioned and may fall within the scope of the inventive subjectmatter. In general, structures and functionality presented as separatecomponents in the exemplary configurations may be implemented as acombined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functionalitypresented as a single component may be implemented as separatecomponents. These and other variations, modifications, additions, andimprovements may fall within the scope of the inventive subject matter.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: detecting a vehicletraveling along a roadway; receiving data from a plurality of fogdetectors located proximate the roadway; determining, based on the datafrom the plurality of fog detectors, that the fog is present about theroadway, wherein the fog limits visibility of the roadway; obtaining,after the determining that fog is present about the roadway, a pluralityof images of the roadway by activating a plurality of cameras, whereinthe cameras are spaced along the roadway and configured to capturedifferent portions of the roadway that are visible through the fog, andwherein each of the images includes one of the different portions of theroadway that is visible through the fog; creating a composite image bycombining two or more of the images, wherein the composite imageincludes two or more of the different portions of the roadway that arevisible through the fog, and wherein the composite image depicts theroadway unobstructed by fog; and transmitting the composite image to adisplay device located in a vehicle traveling along the roadway.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: determining, based on the data, adensity of the fog.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determiningthe density of the fog further comprises: sending a signal between atleast some of the fog detectors.
 4. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising detecting a location of the vehicle relative to the pluralityof cameras.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: creatinganother composite image by combining another two or more of theplurality of images, wherein the other composite image depicts theroadway unobstructed by fog; and transmitting the other composite imageto the display device located in the vehicle traveling along theroadway.